Garment-fastener.



H. S. HELLER.

GARMENT FASTENER.

APPLIOATION FILED. AUG. 29, 1910.

Patented Jan; 9, 1912.

COI-UIIBIA WM m-WASHINM. mc.

HERMAN s. HELLER, OF SAN 'EEANcIsoo, CALIFORNIA.

GARMENT-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

Application filed August 29, 1910. Serial No. 579,557.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN S. HELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Garment-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fasteners and pertains particularly to fasteners for belts, gloves, skirts, etc.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, neat and convenient device whereby belts, gloves, skirts, the edges of waists or other apparel may be quickly and effectively temporarily attached; to provide a device of the character embodying peculiar details of construction, the purpose of which is to enable the device to be made as inconspicuous and smooth as is possible; and to provide in combination a snap with means whereby the clasp when once looked is prevented from accidentally becoming unclasped.

It is particularly desirable to devise a clamp embodying a structure which when assembled will afford an article of minimum thickness, that is, which will avoid inconvenient and disfiguring protuberances and unsightly hooks about the clothing.

A further object is to provide'an article of manufacture of such form and of such material as to allow the articles to be made in great quantities and in a simple manner, thus enabling the device to be manufactured and sold at comparatively low prices.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the detached clamp members showing the fabric to which they are stitched, in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the engaged clasp sections. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the engaged clasp sections. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the female member of the clasp. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank of the female member of the clasp. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the blank of the male member of the clasp. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate modified forms of the prong member.

I have devised a clamp here shown as comprising two sections or members, as a 'made by cutting the metal female member or socket piece 2 and a male member 3. Preferably, these members are formed of sheet metal, of suitable kind and thickness, by stamping and punching in suitable blanks and then bending each of the members to form the complete structure. A blank of the female member 2 is formed with a pair of suitable similar perforations 4, having on one side straight edged jaws or spring clamp members 5, which jaws are along diverged lines 6 a suitable distance. About midway of the blank is a suitably shaped opening 7. The blank is then folded to form a U- shaped member, as shown in Fig. ,4, with atransverse central wall 8 connecting the parallel leaves 9 of the female member 2. When the blank has been folded or bent into this U-form, the central perforation 7 is then suitably punched or drawn and expanded so as to form convex socket walls 10, the convexity or drawing of the metal terminating as it runs into the body portion of the clamps or jaws 5. By this form and design of structure, the j aws. or clamp members 5 may each spring slightly to and from one another.

The male member 3 is formed from a blank, Fig. 6, which has transverse leaves 12 on each end, and a narrow longitudinal central connecting bar comprising shanks 13 extending from end to end of the blank and joining the leaves 12. The connecting spring shanks 13 are provided with oppositely extending small projecting shoulders 14 on each side of their centers, and are rigid or bent crosswise at the junction of the shoulders 14 with the shank portions 13, as shown at 15. The blank is then folded backwardly so as to bring the two transverse leaves or widened ends 12 into juxtaposition so that they lie substantially one above the other. The bending of the blank centrally results in the formation of a projecting arrow-shaped spring'head or catch 16, which is insertible through hole 7 and is pushed through far enough to spring the jaws 5 apart until the latter catch behind the shoulders 15. When the male member 3 has thus been folded backwardly to form the projecting head there is sutlicient expansibility or resiliency in the shanks 13 to normally tend to throw the leaves 12 apart; thus when the projecting tongue of the male member 3 has been passed through the perforation 7 of the wall 8 of the complementary member 2 and after the shoulders or ribs 15 have passed beyond the inner free edges of the jaws 5, the normal and automatic expansion of the leaves 12will carry the projections 15 into engagement with and behind the jaws 5.

Each of the members 2 and 3 is provided with a series of small perforations along its outer edges, as at 18, whereby it may be sewed or stitched, or attached in any other suitable manner to the opposite ends of a belt or to opposite edges of a garment.

When it is desired to temporarily draw and retain the different portions of the material or article of wearing apparel together, then the projecting head 16 of the member 3 is passed inwardly through the convexed walls of the perforation 7 of the member 2 until the ridges 15 engage the straight edges of the spring jaws 5; and when the two members have thus been assembled or snapped together the head portion 16 will be snugly inclosed and accommodated in the cavities 4-4 of the female section 2.

It will be manifest that by this formation and construction of the clasp sections I am able to produce an article of this character of minimum thickness and substantially free from irregular projections and sharp corners, thereby not only preventing the cutting of adjacent material by abrasion, but also forming a smooth and neat .finish to the garment or article upon which the device is mounted. a

In order to insure suflicient expansion of the two leaves 12 of the section 3 after the projections 16 have passed behind the spring jaws 5 of the socket 2, I attach to one of the sections 12 asmall arm 19 having a globular head or body portion 20, which, when swung inwardly between the adjacent leaves 12, will sufficiently expand the latter to further open and lock the expandible head 16. By utilizing the expander or arm 20- the jaws 5 are prevented from being accidentally moved together and the sections are allowed to become unclasped.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified formv of a prong member, having an extra fold 21, thus allowing for an increase in degree of movement. Fig. 8 shows the prong member as being integrally connected across its broad end, as at 22,'thus allowing the upper shouldered end to move freely.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a garment fastener, a socket member comprising a strip of sheet-metal bent upon itself having its free ends adapted to straddle the edge of a garment and to be attached thereto, the said bent portion having an opening with inwardly projecting cooperating spring jaws.

2. Means for fastening the ends of a garment together, said means comprising a socket member made from a strip of sheet metal bent centrally upon itself, with its free ends adapted to straddle a garment and to be attached thereto, said bent portion having a portion intermediate of the ends slitted, to form spring jaws, and a head member attachable to another portion of the garment insertible between the folded portion of the socket member and engageable by said aws.

3. A garment fastener comprising a socket member made from a strip of sheet metal bent centrally on itself, said strip having an opening at the bend and the sides of thestrip on each side of said opening slitted to provide inwardly extending spring jaws, and a telescoping member having a resilient head insertible through the opening and engageable with said spring aws. I

LIA garment clasp comprising a socket member of sheet metal perforated to form retaining shoulders and bent into a U- shape, the base of which is perforated and flared; and a resilient male section having a shouldered head. 7

5. A detachable fastener for garments comprising a socket piece formed of sheet material bent into parallel perforated leaves,

a connecting portion uniting the leaves, said portion having an opening with a flaring mouth, a spring jaw formedin each of said leaves having ends forming one side of the perforations of the leaves, anda complementary male section formed of sheet material having an expansible head and adapted when inserted into the socket-piece to engage'the aws. J In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN S. HELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, D. G.

the Commissioner of Patents, 

